Giants Hopeful About Status of Cruz but Not Pierre-Paul

By TOM PEDULLA

September 6, 2013

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The Giants are optimistic that Victor Cruz, their leading receiver last season, will be able to start their season opener Sunday night at Dallas. The status of Jason Pierre-Paul, the most disruptive of the Giants’ defensive ends, is less certain.

The Giants rated Cruz as probable on Friday’s injury report. Pierre-Paul, recovering from surgery to repair a herniated disk in his lower back; fullback Henry Hynoski; and defensive end Damontre Moore, a rookie, were listed as questionable. Hynoski is recuperating from a knee injury. Moore hurt his shoulder.

Cruz, who has been out since he bruised his left heel Aug. 18 in the second preseason game, participated in a full week of practice without any problems.

“I feel good,” Cruz said after Friday’s practice. “I feel I’m in shape. The heel is much better. I’m not favoring the other leg. I’m eager to see what I can do on game day.”

Pierre-Paul recorded 16 ½ sacks in the 2011 regular season, after which the Giants won the Super Bowl, but his production fell to six and a half sacks last season. He said a decision about his status for Sunday would probably not be made until the team saw how his back responded to the plane ride to Dallas and then how he felt during warm-ups.

“I’ve been getting better,” Pierre-Paul said. “My back feels strong.”

Coach Tom Coughlin said of Pierre-Paul, “He’s done a good job with what we’ve asked him to do.”

It would appear that, at best, the Giants might have their top pass-rusher on a limited basis.

“My conditioning is still down; I’m trying to get it up,” Pierre-Paul said. “That’s a big part, too. I’m not going to put my team in jeopardy.”

Pierre-Paul is confident that the Giants’ front will hold up well if he does not play.

“My D-linemen, I’m pretty sure they’ll take care of the job,” he said.

Cruz, an undrafted free agent as a rookie in 2010, stayed away from the team through much of the off-season because of a contract dispute. He had 86 receptions for 1,092 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. He said fans would see the same salsa-dancing enthusiasm he displayed before he signed a four-year, $43 million contract extension.